Chicago in March?

[MNGolfer307]

I am in Minneapolis, MN but looking for somewhere to golf in March. Likely the 2nd weekend. Friend is getting married in April. He doesn't really want a bachelor party but would like to do a guys trip to golf. (Main thing we all do together) We have some people we could meet in Chicago so hoping that would work.

 

If not any ideas how are south I would need to go Mid March? We would be driving there.

[VNutz]

Complete hit or miss, I'd avoid making plans for here at that time of year. Some years it's been 70* and sunny, other years over a foot of snow, but usually 40-50*, golfable but not ideal. Regardless of the weather, the courses usually won't have started to come in, that's not usually until May or June. Your best bet is to go down to St. Louis or so.

[zer0]

geez, you know you live in a cold part of the country when you think Chicago in March could be nice.

[mci711]

Complete hit or miss, I'd avoid making plans for here at that time of year. Some years it's been 70* and sunny, other years over a foot of snow, but usually 40-50*, golfable but not ideal. Regardless of the weather, the courses usually won't have started to come in, that's not usually until May or June. Your best bet is to go down to St. Louis or so.

 

I was going to say the same thing. More miss than hit. St. Louis, Indy, KC are better options.

 

It is a drive but Big Cedar in southwest Missouri would be awesome. Not sure Tiger's course will be open though and it is pricey overall. https://golfbigcedar.com/

[Argonne69]

I'd skip it. We've only had a handful of decent days in March in the past 3 seasons. Gotta head a little further south.

 

[Thunder Dan]

My first round was in mid March last year and it was 37 degrees with a 20 mph wind. I remember booking it early in the week when the forecast said it was going to be 60 and sunny. It completely changed 2 days before.

 

Saying this just to prove you never know until morning of. In March the winds can be everything. Southern wind, maybe, Northern or Eastern wind no chance

[Argonne69]

I played 3 rounds in March '18, 2 in March '17, 1 in March '16, 2 in March '15, zero in March '13, and 5 in '12. I'll generally play if it's in the low 40's even if it's wet and/or windy. The low number of rounds leads me to conclude that March golf in Chicago has basically s*cked in recent years.

[jli2636]

Complete hit or miss, I'd avoid making plans for here at that time of year. Some years it's been 70* and sunny, other years over a foot of snow, but usually 40-50*, golfable but not ideal. Regardless of the weather, the courses usually won't have started to come in, that's not usually until May or June. Your best bet is to go down to St. Louis or so.

 

Might need to even head farther south than that. Here in Columbia it can be anywhere from 35-70 2nd week of March. Probably even more unpredictable than Chicago. I would think Memphis(not a good golf destination, but easiest city I could think of) would be about where I would start looking.

[ldchristopher]

I’d head to either Indy or St. Louis that time of year. Chicago is too unpredictable and hasn’t grown in. The extra four to five hour drive south really makes a big difference and there are plenty of solid courses down there.

[Hooters62]

Booked a trip for last week in March in Kentucky with the wife. Kentucky state parks Golf Trail. Staying in a one bedroom cottage at Kentucky Dam Village and can play two other courses within a 25 minute drive. 18 holes with cart every day with $ 25.00 replay also includes breakfast at the resort. $ 790.00 for 5 days for the both of us.

[1puttTUT]

March can really suck in the midwest. Last March (late March like 24-29) I was on a road trip for work and we a snow storm in Beckley WV, so I left a day early for Asheville, NC and it snowed there too! It wasn't until I got to Florida that it was nice enough to golf.

[psygolf]

Booked a trip for last week in March in Kentucky with the wife. Kentucky state parks Golf Trail. Staying in a one bedroom cottage at Kentucky Dam Village and can play two other courses within a 25 minute drive. 18 holes with cart every day with $ 25.00 replay also includes breakfast at the resort. $ 790.00 for 5 days for the both of us.

Do not miss Mineral Mounds if you haven’t played it.

[BirdieRoll]

Keep in touch with The Preserve on Rathbun Lake. The resort course is 80 miles southeast of Des Moines and they are hoping to open March 1 if the weather allows. Might be just south/warm enough to warrant a visit if the weather cooperates.

 

Looks like about five hours from Minneapolis and 5.5 hours from Chicago.

 

Otherwise I'd try to find the cheapest warm place you can fly to from Minneapolis and Chicago; two bags fly free on Southwest (i.e. suitcase and clubs).

[ldchristopher]

It's supposed to be 12 degrees in a couple of days and snow is forecast four days in a row next week. So...yeah, don't play golf in Chicago in March.

[Argonne69]

It's supposed to be 12 degrees in a couple of days and snow is forecast four days in a row next week. So...yeah, don't play golf in Chicago in March.

 

Ugh. The long range forecast is abysmal. It's likely we won't get out until the last week of the month, and even then it would be in lousy conditions.